Re: Vehicle safety affecting farm workers in Califo...

[Guest guest]

Sharing a little information with you all regarding the incidence of farmworkers killed in our Central Valley. In the Westside of Frsno Co. is a small town, Mendota, where an event has taken place for the last six years. This event is called Dirver Safety Awareness. We started this event in 1996 when is was dropped by one of our universities. In ,"WE", I mean the mayor of that town and around five other people who were interested in helping to educate and prevent farmworker fatalaties. It was the another part of the CHP program under the El Protector Program called Los Centinelas that first took and interest in helping us with our little venture. We were able to reduce the incidence of many accidents taking place at that time. Here we are now with our SAFE Program and we are still not able to reduce these accidents. All it takes is some aggressive outreach and education to be able to reach these drivers. I am not saying that we won't have those that are trying to make an extra buck, but at least the honest ones would be complying with the law. These events should be done statewide and I don't mean stings and checkpoint but real edication in a family setting, our event is like a health & safety fair where we play La loteria de Manejo Seguro and everyone plays thei game and wins prizes(donated by the merchants in town). We also have a bike safety rodeo for the children put on by the sheriff's dept. and of course entertentainment and food! Everybody has a good time but also receives an education on driving learns the rules of the road. Lets all get a litlle creative and try these events everywhere. The point is EDUCATION! Sorry about the lengthy info.